


Another Space and Time

by StarlightMuffin



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Not Beta Read, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24277648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightMuffin/pseuds/StarlightMuffin
Summary: “It’s given me much thought about what kind of lives we might have had somewhere else! We were still soccer players? Maybe we played different sports. Maybe we were something else entirely, like aliens!” Saginuma exclaims.“Somewhere else? You really believe in that bullshit?” Hiroto asks.---Hearing that there might be other versions about themselves was also ridiculous to Hiroto. Until he finds himself in a situation where he meets an alternate version of a certain redhead and learns things he wished he could forget.
Relationships: Kiyama Tatsuya | Kiyama Hiroto | Gran & Kira Hiroto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Another Space and Time

**Author's Note:**

> This is thanks to a little roleplay a friend and I did and then other friends wanted me to write this so I did. So here guys have this abomination I hope ya'll actually enjoy it. Sorry for any mistakes this wasn't beta read.

It’s a normal day off for Inazuma Japan as they get their breakfast and eat in the little cafeteria. Everyone is chatting amongst themselves with Hiroto finding himself sitting and listening in on Saginuma and Tatsuya’s conversation. 

“What kind of dream was it?” Tatsuya asks the Goalkeeper. Apparently he had some wild dream about something last night. Hiroto can already feel that it’s going to be one of the most ridiculous things he hears. 

“It was fascinating! It was a dream of us but in a different timeline,” Saginuma begins. Already Hiroto can feel his eyes wanting to roll into the back of his head. “It’s given me much thought about what kind of lives we might have had somewhere else! We were still soccer players? Maybe we played different sports. Maybe we were something else entirely, like aliens!” 

“Somewhere else? You really believe in that bullshit?” Hiroto asks. He had to ignore the itch to say something more that could earn him a look from Tatsuya and anyone who was listening. 

“Of course! We must not be the only version of ourselves out there,” There’s a small sparkle in Saginuma’s eyes as he speaks about the topic, “Imagine one day meeting a version of yourself and learning all about them!” 

“Oh good grief. You’ve been watching way too many Sci-Fi movies,” Hiroto could only mutter. Tatsuya chuckles lightly. 

“It’s… an interesting topic, to be sure.”

“It’s a _stupid_ topic,” Hiroto retorts. “First off, things like aliens don’t even exist.” 

“Funny you should say that when you call yourself a god,” Tatsuya comments. Hiroto scoffs. 

“Aren’t you also afraid of gh--” 

“Shut up, both of you,” Hiroto cuts Saginuma off. He was about done with this conversation. The idea of there being another version of himself or anyone else here seemed ridiculous. Even if they did exist there was no way for them to ever meet their “otherworldly counterpart”. He moves to stand up from his seat when Endou comes over to the group. 

“Hey Tatsuya, Hiroto! Coach says it’s your turn to run the errands,” he hands over a list of items for them to pick up as he speaks. 

“Eh? Us? Wasn’t it someone else’s turn today?” Hiroto asks. 

“He must have his reasons for changing it,” Tatsuya says as he takes the list from Endou. “Thank you, Endou. Do you have a page with the directions too?”

“Not on me. Coach just says to relay the directions to you,” Endou responds. Hiroto rolls his eyes. Was he really too lazy to write down the instructions? He listens to Endou as he starts to explain the instructions. He spaces out for a moment about half way through as his mind thinks a bit about the conversation they had prior. 

_Another version of us, huh? No way…._

“Hiroto, you ready to go?” Tatsuya words snap him back into focus. He sighs. 

“Yeah, let’s just get this over with.” He would much rather be training than running errands for the Coach. Even if it was for necessary goods. 

Saginuma waves them goodbye and goes to join another table as the two of them leave. Hiroto wonders if he’s going to tell whoever he joins about the dream as well. 

Oh who cares. 

\---

“Tch. Where the hell are we?”

“I think we missed a turn.”

“So what? We turn around and walk back?”

“Let’s try asking someone for directions first.”

The problem with shopping in a foreign country isn’t so much the shopping, but making sure to not get lost on the way there or back. Especially when one of the two insists that the directions he heard were right. In hindsight maybe Tatsuya was right about the turn that they should’ve made a few streets back. Or was it a few turns back. Not that Hiroto will admit that he was wrong about the directions. After all, Endou could've given them the wrong directions to begin with and thus, neither Hiroto's or Tatsuya's fault. 

Finding someone who could help proves to be a more difficult task than they thought. Not only did they manage to get lost, but somehow find themselves in a nearly deserted part of the city. Anyone they did find couldn’t understand them nor point them in the right direction. 

“We should’ve turned back when we had the chance,” Hiroto mutters after failing once again to find someone who could understand them. 

“There’s bound to be someone. A lot of people are here for the same reason we are, after all,” Tatsuya responds as he starts to scan for another person to ask. Hiroto scoffs. 

“In this part of the city? I doubt it.” 

“It’s not completely deserted.”

“That’s not the point.”

Hiroto chooses to ignore the small sigh that comes from Tatsuya as he scans for something that could point them in the right direction. Whether it’s a person who could actually understand them or some sort of map or… whatever. A few cars drive by but none seem to stop and ask why two kids are walking down the street, either. 

What a bother this all was. Guess next time he ought to ask for the directions again the next time he might have heard them wrong. Or listen to Tatsuya. Or do what either of them failed to do and make sure that they were given the right directions.

Whether either of these three things would ever happen next time is up to debate, though. 

"... Maybe we should try calling someone," Tatsuya then suggests a few minutes later. Hiroto scoffs and shakes his head.

"And get laughed at for getting lost? Fat chance. Let's just figure out where we are."

Really, if they wanted to call someone to save them they should have done so an hour ago. It’s been far too long to go calling them now and he already knows Haizaki and Atsuya would be two who are already going to be on them for taking so long to begin with. So Hiroto once again chooses to ignore Tatsuya's sigh and they continue what seems to be a futile search up the street. 

“It’s pretty quiet around here, isn’t it? Almost as if we’re in a different world,” Tatsuya brings up a minute later down the road. Hiroto rolls his eyes. 

“Oh _please_. Don’t start spewing the same bullshit Saginuma spewed earlier today,” hearing it from Saginuma was one thing, but he didn’t want to hear it from Tatsuya as well. Though with all the books on space and the universe that seems to be at Sun Garden it’s not surprising that they all seem to think that things such a ‘parallel worlds exist’. 

“I think it’s an interesting theory,” Tatsuya responds, “Whether there’s another version of us somewhere in the multiverse. That doesn’t make you the least bit curious?”

“I’m more curious as to how you think that’s real but not the existence of Kappas,” Hiroto smirks. Tatsuya shoots him a look that only causes him to laugh, “But I shouldn’t be surprised. All you weirdos from Sun Garden have this weird fascination with things like space and aliens.”

Tatsuya just gives a resigning sigh. Looks like he regrets bringing up the subject to begin with. Hiroto admits to himself that it does make him a little curious, but he isn’t going to be admitting that to Tatsuya anytime soon.

A few minutes later they approach the end of the street. A little cafe on the other side of the street then catches Hiroto’s attention. In front was a brochure holder with a few brochures. Hiroto couldn't tell what kind of brochures they were but if they were lucky then maybe one would have a map to show them just where the hell they are. 

"About time we find something that could be useful," Hiroto says as he turns to cross the street. Really, these brochures better not be some kind of waste of time. 

Hiroto not looking both ways was the first mistake. Tatsuya turns and tries to catch his attention.

"Huh? Hey, wait, Hiroto! Watch where you're going--"

“What? C’mon and hurry up Tatsuya, we don’t have--” 

Catching Hiroto's attention was the second mistake. Hiroto turns his attention to call back at Tatsuya and fails to see the car before he hears it shreech around the corner. He only catches a glimpse of the vehicle and the sound of Tatsuya once more as his world goes dark.

"HIROTO!"

\---

When Hiroto opens his eyes he finds himself laying on some cement. He sits up with a small groan and scopes the surroundings. He doesn’t recognize anything he saw right before. No cafe, no street, nor does it seem Tatsuya was nearby. Though it did seem like he was in some sort of alley. He stands to see if he could get a better look of his surroundings.

… Where the hell is he. 

“Ah. You’re awake.” 

Hiroto spins around the moment he hears the voice. He just looked behind him just a minute ago and he swears there wasn’t anyone behind him then. So when did they come up behind him?

“Eh?” Hiroto blinks. “Tatsuya?” 

The kid behind him looks so much like Tatsuya they could be twins. He looks… younger, though? His hair is flattened and he looks… almost as if he was a ghost as well.

Well, ghosts don’t exist so this must be some kind of dream. That’s the explanation he’s sticking with to not freak out right this minute. 

With a small smile the kid simply shakes his head. “Not Tatsuya, no. I’m Kira Hiroto. I’m … you.” 

Hiroto stares for a moment before he bursts into a laugh. 

“Kira Hiroto? Bullshit, you can’t be _me_ ! You look _nothing_ like me!” 

“Funny, isn’t it?,” the kid responds, “How we turned out so different from one another.” 

“Not really, because I just told you that you’re not me. I’m the only Kira Hiroto, God Striker around!” 

“God Striker? Ah… is that a title I have in that timeline? I like it,” The kid replies, his smile unwavering. On the other hand Hiroto clenches his fist

“Shut up! What kind of ridiculous dream is this,” Hiroto growls. The kid's expression finally rids the smile as he frowns. 

“A dream? Maybe it is… Or maybe it’s something more… ” He whispers as he fades away. Hiroto’s face pales, not only because the kid faded like a ghost, but the moment he does the whole scenery changes. No longer was Hiroto in an alleyway, but a graveyard. In front of him was one gravestone, surrounded by various flowers. Even though he can’t make out the name on it seeing the gravestone sends chills down his spine. Suddenly the air around him feels heavy as he struggles to breath. 

This had to have been some sort of sick dream.

The kid appears again, sitting on the grave itself. He looks apologetic as he gives Hiroto one more smile. 

“Before we get to that, though… Catch…” 

Hiroto barely catches whatever it was that the kid tosses. Looking into the palm of his hand he sees that it’s some purple crystal. It gives off a strange power, Hiroto can tell that much. He looks at the kid to ask what it was only to feel his vision blur. 

Was he… getting drowsy? 

“You’re about to wake up in a place you don’t recognize. Remember it well, and we’ll speak again when you get back.” He can hear the kid say. 

“Eh? What the hell are you… talking about….”

About to wake up in a place he doesn’t recognize? Speak again when he gets back? The wave of drowsiness strikes before he could speak though and fades into a slumber. 

\---

Before Hiroto even opens his eyes again he could feel that something was wrong. The ground he was on was stone cold. It was nothing like the ground that he remembers waking up the first time. Not only that but his head was pounding. It takes him a few minutes of drifting in and out of consciousness before he finally begins to open his eyes. 

"What… the hell?"

With a groan he lifts himself up into a seating position. Not only was his head pounding but his whole body felt sore like his body slammed into something. 

Wait.

Slammed into something? 

The moment that thought crossed his mind he remembers what happened right before he blacked out. The car and Tatsuya calling out his name. 

‘ _Oh you have got to be shitting me’_

He takes a moment to realize that the crystal the kid tossed at him before was still held in his hand. What _was_ this crystal, and why did the kid give it to him. Well … he’s not going to be able to get any answers to that now, is he. 

The best thing he can do is try to figure out where the hell he was _this_ time. 

Despite the bright lights Hiroto starts to take a glance over where he is. Well, this isn’t a hospital. Not only was he on the ground but the cold walls and weird lights gave a weird … otherworldly vibe? If this was the afterlife this wasn’t anything anyone ever described it. Was that place he woke up before the afterlife? Nah, that couldn’t be it either. He wouldn’t have woken back up, in pain no less, if it was the afterlife he was in before. 

While his mind flashes back to the kid from before he pushes the conversation out of his mind. There was no way in hell he was going to believe anything he saw there. It must have been some shitty dream. Even if the crystal was in his head when he woke up.

What he’s woken up to this time…. Well the kid did say that he was going to wake up somewhere he didn’t recognize as well, didn’t he. 

...

Maybe he was kidnapped. Yeah, that clearly has to be it. Orion came and somehow kidnapped him. Even though that leaves the question of where Tatsuya was. Did they only kidnap him? Or did they kidnap Tatsuya as well. 

Well shit. If Tatsuya is here then this means he ought to go and look for him. With some effort Hiroto manages to stand so he could get a better look at the room and all the bright lights surrounding him. 

Turns out around him are tv screens showing ruined schools of different locations. He couldn’t recognize some of them but others… he hasn’t heard of Orion destroying any schools. Maybe these clips were fake? 

They had to be. Just like how he had to have been kidnapped by Orion and not in some weird alien afterlife. The only other option is that he was asleep for a long time, but it doesn’t explain why he woke up on a stone cold floor. 

There must be some sort of clue somewhere wherever he might be. If this wasn’t Orion maybe this was just some really elaborate joke. Not that he knows when they would have the time to go through all this effort. Wherever he was it seemed to be fairly big. 

He shoves the crystal is his pocket and makes his way out of the room.

After some roaming Hiroto finds himself walking into a huge room with some strange, huge, purple rock in the middle. The rock not only looked like the crystal that Hiroto had in his pocket would’ve come from, but it seems to be giving off the same strange energy. Hiroto feels a shiver down his spine as he looks at the rock in front of him. 

“What the hell is this?” 

A familiar voice answers him, but not with an answer. Rather a question and not one he would expect. 

“Who are you?”

Hiroto spins around but doesn’t see who it is immediately. He needs to have his vision clear before he can get a good look. He shakes his head a little to help and gives the voice a better look.

“Eh?” Hiroto can’t help but look dumbfounded as he looks at the person in front of him.  
  
“I repeat: Who are you? And how did you get in here?” 

Instead of answering Hiroto just closes his eyes and shakes his head a little. This must be some sort of dream? The person that is standing before him looks like Tatsuya, but he’s in some ridiculous costume! And that hair? When and why the hell did Tatsuya spike his hair that way. 

It looks stupid. So stupid this has to either be yet another dream or just not Tatsuya at all. Though he better not hear this kid, whoever he is, say that he’s also Kira Hiroto. He already had enough of that. 

“I demand you answer me, intruder!”  
  
“Will you shut _up_ for one minute?” Hiroto barks back. With the way he keeps insisting to know who Hiroto is, he must not be Tatsuya after all. Since he’s pretty sure that if anyone ought to have amnesia it would be him for getting his by a car.

If that even happened. Hiroto doesn’t even know what’s up and what’s down right now. What he does know is that his response only seems to make the Tatsuya imposter bristle.

“If you don’t answer--”

“You’re going to do what?” He just woke up and he’s tired already, but he wasn’t going to let Mr. Tatsuya If He Was In An Alien Play call him out as some kind of intruder. 

Not that he wasn’t wrong, but Hiroto wasn’t going to blurt out who he was before getting some answers first. 

“Isn’t it obvious? Make you leave by whatever means necessary,” the other kid responds. Hiroto scoffs and rolls his eyes. 

“For a kid who looks like they just came from a bad costume party you sure talk shit.” Hiroto then smirks, “If you’re serious then show me what you can do.” 

For a moment the mysterious kid that Hiroto still swears isn’t Tatsuya is quiet. Hiroto couldn’t tell whether he was shocked that he was so defiant, or simply considering his options.. A moment passes before he responds. 

“Very well. You are a soccer player, are you not? We’ll settle this over soccer.” As he says that a black soccer ball rolls out from what seems to have been a dark corner of the room. Hiroto wasn’t sure how the ball came to be, but he wasn’t complaining. If a one-on-one soccer match is what the not-Tatsuya wanted then Hiroto wasn’t about to back down.

Even though his body is screaming at him to do anything else but kick a soccer ball. 

“First to hit the wall behind the other player wins.” As the words are spoken the kid kicks the ball to Hiroto.

Letting him be the one to start with the ball? Hiroto stops the ball with his foot as smirks. This kid doesn’t know what he’s getting into. 

“So what happens if I win this little game. You’ll tell me what’s up with the stupid alien get up? This must be all some kind of joke,” Hiroto asks. Despite the complexity of everything Hiroto still doesn’t believe that all this isn’t some sort of shitty joke they’re trying to pull on him. 

“This is no _joke_.” Wow. That seemed to have hit a nerve. “But if you win I’ll let you go quietly. But if I win you will tell me who you are and how you got here.”

“Heh, you’ll see how badly a mistake this was taking on the God Striker!” Hiroto responds once more. Although he was confident he could win this he wasn’t going to completely underestimate the opponent. Not because of how sore he is (he’s trying to ignore that as much as he probably _shouldn’t_ as if he was going to show weakness in front of someone who finds him hostile). There’s still something unsettling about the fact that this kid looks, and sounds, eerily like Tatsuya. 

This one-on-one match should give him a few clues about whether he’s right. Though if he was that brings up more questions than answers, really. He can’t imagine Tatsuya pulling off some alien stunt like this. Especially without anyone to join in on the joke. Someone like Saginuma wouldn’t pass up a chance to do something like this, he’d imagine. 

From the moment he kicks the ball he realizes that he probably bit a little more than he can chew. Not only is this weird black soccer ball heavier than any other ball he kicked, but pain jolts through his body as he does so.  
  
_What kind of soccer ball is this_!

It was too late to turn back now, though. The last thing Hiroto was going to do is show weakness in front of his kid. He needs to know who this kid was and where he was himself. Even if this was some kind of joke and Saginuma was watching them and laughing he wasn’t going to let them get the best of him. 

He pushes forward the best he can but he was no match for the kid in his state. The ball was taken by him with ease. Hiroto clicks his tongue before he turns and tries to fight the ball back. The mysterious kid has a much better handle of the ball despite its weight, Hiroto notices, but that only makes him more determined to try and take the ball back. 

Hiroto’s efforts were futile in the end as the echo of the ball slamming into the wall fills the room. The kid was much too fast for him to have been able to take the ball back, much to Hiroto’s chagrin. Once the ball rolls back to the kid he turns to face Hiroto. 

“Is that all a _God Striker_ can do?” 

“Tch! I was just warming up!” Hiroto retorts. He wasn’t really, but he wasn’t about to blame it on the ball or his body. If this kid wants to use a ball that’s twice as heavy as a normal ball so be it. The bigger problem was his body just couldn’t keep up with anything in its current state. 

In fact running only seems to make his head pound further. Well shit. 

“Is that so? Well then, why don’t you take the ball from me.” the kid responds. In the back of his head Hiroto knew that the kid was just toying with him. What was worse though, saying no or maybe, just maybe, showing the kid that he’s not someone that he can toy with. 

“I’ll take the ball and make you eat your words,” Hiroto shakes his head to try to clear it before charging in to take the ball. The kid avoids him with ease and Hiroto almost fumbles to the ground. 

No, he wasn’t going to let it end this way. 

He catches himself and turns to try once more. Once again he’s avoided with ease, but every failure only pushes him to turn this all around. Eventually he manages to kick the ball away from the other kid’s possession. 

“H-Hah!” Hiroto smirks through the pain he felt as he runs to put his foot on the ball. Once the ball was fully in his possession he turns to face the other kid who seems unphased by the sudden loss of the ball. 

In fact he was smiling. 

“Good job. I can see you might be a strong player after all. But the fun ends here.” 

Before Hiroto could respond the kid was suddenly next to him taking the ball out of his possession once more. 

“Now, will you leave quietly. Or will I have to do this by force,” Hiroto couldn’t tell the expression the kid has while he speaks. 

“Do I _look_ like one who would run with their tail between their legs to you,” continuing to be defiant in this situation might not be the best idea, but Hiroto continues to do it regardless. It only leads to the kid shaking his head at him. 

“By force it is, then,” he sighs. In a flash he’s a few feet back from where he was before with the ball. Hiroto finds himself struggling to keep his focus with his head pounding so hard, but it doesn’t keep him from watching the kid closely. 

“ _Ryuusei Blade_!”

Any doubts about this kid not being Tatsuya, or someone _much_ like Tatsuya, left as soon as the kid uses the move. It was a little different from the one that Tatsuya uses, but it was still unmistakingly the same hissatsu. 

Although he isn’t a Keeper he was certain that he could block the shot. During normal circumstances he probably would have too. This time? The moment he feels the impact of the shot he feels his body giving in. 

“Shit… what the hell… is going on, Tatsuya…?” 

Just barely does he see the kid’s eyes widen as he blacks out once more. 

\---

When Hiroto wakes up once again he finds himself in the same room as before, mostly. Someone had moved him from the center of the room to the edge. There was only one person who could’ve done that. 

He groans and rubs his head, stopping momentarily to realize that someone seems to have bandaged him. Not just his head, but also parts of his arms and legs as well. How long was he out? It must not have been long if he was still in the same location despite the kid’s insistence to kick him out. 

_Speaking of the bastard…._

Once he’s able Hiroto carefully stands and scans the room. The soccer ball from before sits on the floor beside him. Up the stairs in the middle of the room in front of the strange crystal, that still glows almost ominously to Hiroto, stands the kid from before. Hearing Hiroto’s movements the kid turns and looks down on him. 

“Ah. You’re awake.” 

Hiroto’s mind flashes back to the other redhead kid he saw before this one. They both said the same thing, didn’t that? Was that just some strange coincidence… or something more. 

Nah, it must have been a coincidence. After all, this redhead hasn’t said he’s _him_ of all people nor was he going to accept hearing it from him either. If this kid was someone he was Tatsuya, but that also couldn’t possibly be true. 

_‘We must not be the only version of ourselves out there,’_ Saginuma’s words echo in his mind.

 _This still must be some kind of joke or some kind of freakish dream_ , He still isn’t going to believe anything Saginuma says. Even _if_ such a thing was true there was no way he found himself in a completely different dimension or some parallel world of all things. 

“Sorry about that. Thankfully it wasn’t a direct hit. I should’ve realized your injuries.” The voice of the kid snaps him back into focus as he looks up to face him. Hiroto’s eyes narrow in response to the kid’s words.

“Why the hell am I still here. You had the chance to kick me out, didn’t you?” As much as he didn’t want to admit it seems he _did_ pass out. “But instead you keep me here and not only that bandage me?”

The kid is quiet as he makes his way down the stairs and over to Hiroto. 

“... Something you said. Before I let you go I need answers. I also don’t need you passing out again before I receive them,” he then states simply. 

Great. So _now_ he’s some kind of hostage -- is he even a hostage? He’s not tied up or anything -- because of something he said and now the kid demands answers? What was it that he even said to pique the kid’s interest. He takes a moment to wrack his head of anything that could’ve been it before he remembers what he last said and the expression he saw before he passed out. 

Was that it?

“Do you mean--” 

“Who _are_ you? I need to know,” the kid cuts him off. It seems he doesn’t _want_ Hiroto to say it. 

“Tch. Why should I tell _you_ who I am when you haven’t told me a damn thing about yourself or where I am,” Even if the answer keeps becoming clearer and clearer there was still something _off_ about this whole exchange. It was becoming more difficult to simply shrug this off as some kind of charade when neither Tatsuya nor Saginuma would continue once Hiroto passed out.

The kid is silent for a minute once more as he seems to muse what Hiroto says. Finally he speaks. 

“This is Aliea Academy. I am Gran from the team Genesis.”

Was he really trying to pull some stupid alien theme with this? It fits with the costume, yeah, but the whole idea was just ridiculous. Hiroto almost wants to call him out right there for being an idiot in response. However he’ll play along, if not just for a bit longer. 

Saginuma’s thoughts of them possibly being aliens in a different dimension had to have been anything but true.

“Never heard of Genesis or Aliea Academy.” Hiroto responds. That seems to have gotten a reaction from Gran, whose eyes widen in slight surprise. 

“How could you not have heard of us? If you are here then surely you’ve heard and seen everything we’ve done. Isn’t that why you’ve tried to infiltrate us? To try and stop us? I’m impressed you’ve gotten this far. To even know….”

Hiroto raises an eyebrow, “Know what?”

“Nothing,” Gran says with the shake of his head. Hiroto simply scoffs again.

“Well, I could say the same to you. How could you not know who I am,” Hiroto responds, though his mind flashes back to the TV screens he saw when he arrived. He ignores it and continues. “Did you bump your head or something? Got some kind of amnesia?” 

It was Gran’s turn to scoff before shaking his head. “How ridiculous. If there is anyone who has bumped your head it would be you. How could you not know of Aliea Academy taking over.” 

“Taking over?” Hiroto laughs, “What? The world? Alright, the show's over. This is stupid. If you’re going to act like an alien you should at least do something better than world domination.”

“ _Excuse_ me?” 

“Just knock it off. I don’t know if you’ve managed to hit your head or not, or if you’re just trying to prove a point with Saginuma, but take off the ridiculous outfit. We don’t have time to play Aliens.”

Funny, since Alien Airlines is what sponsors Eisei, but if Tatsuya was really going to go through with some joke he should’ve at least gotten Saginuma to go along for the ride. Now he would really be able to play the role of alien. 

“Who do you think you are to demand us to stop what we are doing,” Gran says. There’s a low threatening tone in his voice that Hiroto completely ignores. Fine, if Gran wants to know so much there’s no reason to continue to let this stupid conversation go in more circles.  
  
“Kira Hiroto. Who else do you think I am but the God Strik--” he stops as Gran seems to freeze in space, eyes widening in both shock and… fear? Hiroto wasn’t sure but once again he could feel the shiver down his spine. 

Something about his reaction felt _wrong_. For a second his mind flashes back to the gravestone and the scene with the other kid from before. Why… Why did his mind flash to that? 

“That’s… That’s _impossible_ ,” Gran stammers. “Now who's the one being _ridiculous_.”

“What?” Hiroto narrows his eyes. The tone behind Gran’s words was unsettling, but now wasn’t the time to step down. Not when the person in front of him is telling him he’s ridiculous for being who he _was_. 

“You heard me,” Gran responds. “You _can’t_ be Kira Hiroto.”

“And why the hell not? I’m not the one running around with some ridiculous name and costume pretending to be an alien,” Hiroto clenches his fists. This joke was starting to get old really fast and the fact “Gran” isn’t stopping it is starting to piss him off. 

“No, I am _Gran,_ and there is no pretending,” Gran responds with a sneer. “This is Aliea Academy and we have a _goal_ to accomplish. One that I will not allow an imposter to intrude.” 

“ _I’m_ the imposter? You’re the one using the stupid alien name,” Hiroto retorts back. “Enough of this stupid Gran bullshit, Tatsuya!” 

Gran flinches before his expression goes dark. Ah, so Hiroto was right. That was the thing that prompted Gran to want to ask more questions. When Gran doesn’t respond with anything Hiroto takes the ball and tries to kick it into Gran. 

However, just like before, the weight of the ball and his injuries impeded his power and Gran easily stopped the ball from hitting where Hiroto intended. 

“Tch…” Ah, here comes the head pounding again. 

Without words Gran kicks the ball back at Hiroto. It isn’t so powerful to knock him back out completely, but the impact knocks him back onto the ground before he can even react. When his vision comes back from the impact he sees Gran standing over him. Right after he feels the pressure of Gran’s foot on his chest. 

Great. What a shitty situation he’s gotten himself into.

“Hah… So I must be right,” He couldn’t help but smirk as he asks. 

“You’re _wrong_ ,” Gran responds. Oh, so he’s still denying it? Strange, considering his reaction just a moment before. Hiroto rolls his eyes.

“So then what is it? You look like him. You _sound_ like him. You have the same stupid _eyes_ as him! You even reacted to the damn name! So don’t fucking tell me that your name is Gran or also Kira Hiroto or something else that’s complete bullshit.”

There’s a pang of confusion on Gran’s face before it darkens from Hiroto’s view. What he can tell though, is that Gran’s fists were so clenched his knuckles were turning white. It almost looks painful, how much he’s clenching them. 

“What… What would a _dead man_ know,” he hisses. Hiroto’s eyes widen when the words reach him. If it weren’t for the weight of Gran’s foot he would’ve sat up straight. Any energy that he might’ve had before though seems to have vanished. 

“What the hell did you say?” 

“Kira Hiroto is _dead_.” 

The vision of the gravestone and the kid flashes in his mind again. The name on the stone was a little more legible, but Hiroto still can’t make out the name clearly. 

[ _K _ _ A _ I _ _T O ]_

He shakes the image out of his mind and focuses on Gran before him. 

“Kira Hiroto is _right here_.” 

“I already told you that’s impossible,” Gran hisses. “You can’t be Kira Hiroto. You must be an imposter.” 

“Again, look who's talking, Mr. I’m an Alien trying to rule the World. You still haven’t told me who _you_ actually are. If you aren’t Kiyama Tatsuya then who the hell are _you_?” 

“... It doesn’t matter who I am. I am Gran of Genesis.” 

“Bullshit. You want to go on about how I’m _dead_ but you can’t even tell me who you are-- ngh!” He forgot Gran was putting pressure on his chest before he added more. 

“Who _I_ am doesn’t matter. What matters is who you actually--.” 

“ _I’m_ Kira Hiroto, son of Kira Seijirou and heir to his dynasty.” It was a struggle to speak through the pressure on his chest, but he wasn’t going to just let this go. If it was the last thing he was going to do it was getting answers from this _Gran_ . “You can tell me I’m dead all you _want_ , but until you give me a damn reason to actually believe you I call bullshit on all of it.” 

“Just telling me you’re his son doesn’t give me a reason to believe you either,” Gran responds. Hiroto clicks his tongue at that.

“What else do you want to hear? Who my sister is? That father allowed the kids from Sun Garden to make their own Soccer team for the Football Frontier?” Suddenly it gets hard to breathe as the pressure on his chest increases. 

“Sun Garden? Father didn’t open that until _after_ Kira Hiroto’s death. He was talked into it by Hitomiko after his death to try and pull him out of his depression.” 

A new vision of a body found in an alley flashes in Hiroto’s mind. Where this vision was coming from he didn’t know. He never saw anything like that in any sort of movie he watched. The body itself though…. Hiroto tries to shake the vision out of his mind and focuses back on Gran.

“You’re… calling him Father. And yet you insist you aren’t Kiyama Tatsuya? You have the same voice, same hair colour, and hell… even the same goddamn look in your eyes.” He points out for a second time even though he still can’t see the expression on Gran’s face. He didn’t need to see it to know how Gran felt though when he speaks. 

“I’m Kiyama _Hiroto_.”

“What?”

“No one has called me Tatsuya since…”

There’s a pause on both ends before Hiroto finally voices what he was almost scared to say himself. 

“Since Kira Hiroto’s death?” 

“Father renamed me that because I look so much like him. That’s why you _can’t_ be him. Not only do you look nothing like him but…” 

Hiroto’s mind then flashes back to the kid and the gravestone again. He wasn’t able to see the name on the gravestone before, but suddenly in his mind it was there as clear as day. 

_[ KIRA HIROTO ]_

_“Not Tatsuya, no. I’m Kira Hiroto. I’m … you.”_

Hiroto’s bitter laughter echoes the room. Gran’s head lifts just enough for Hiroto to see his slight confusion. 

“You… You must be kidding me. If what he said was true, then what kind of shitty dimension is this.” Hiroto mutters. Gran continues to look at him quizzically. 

“What…?” 

“That stupid Saginuma was talking about something earlier. Something about other dimensions and meeting other versions of ourselves or some shit like that.” Hiroto explains, “I don’t know how the hell it happened but if this isn’t some charade then that’s the only explanation, isn’t it? Though for all I know all this is just some dream.” Or would it be a nightmare? 

“This is no dream,” Gran replies. “I’m not part of anyone’s imagination…” 

“Whatever. Whether it’s a dream or some stupid explanation it’d explain a few things,” Hiroto says as he tries to shrug. Gran shakes his head.

“Careful… you’re still injured.” As he speaks, Gran lifts his foot from Hiroto and moves to the side. With a groan Hiroto sits up and puts a hand where Gran’s foot was. Gran even kneels down to try to help after some hesitation. 

“Oh look who’s caring all of the sudden,” Hiroto comments, though he doesn't move away from the help. He’s too tired to do any of that right now. . He does however, glance over to see the expression on Gran’s face, “... Don’t give me that stupid look. It’s fine.”

He kind of asked for it by kicking the soccer ball at Gran first. There wasn’t a reason for him to look _that_ apologetic. Gran’s expression only changes slightly as he stands back up and folds his arms. 

“How were you injured?” 

“Why does it matter?” There were other questions -- like why Gran was dressed the way he was -- that needs answers. 

“It could be a clue as to how you got here, if what you say is even true,” Gran replies. Okay, he has a point, even if Hiroto still wishes to believe that this was nothing but a dream. Is making points just a thing all Tatsuyas do? 

“Fine. I…” Hiroto pauses, as if something seems to click in his mind. He shoves the thought into the back of his head before he continues. “I was crossing the street when a car came around the corner. I think I was hit?” It happened so quickly Hiroto can’t be one-hundred percent that’s what happened. 

“And then you woke up here?” Gran asks.

“No. I woke up somewhere else. _Then_ I woke up here,” Hiroto replies. Gran raises an eyebrow. 

“Somewhere else?” 

“Is explaining really necessary?”

“Yes.”

Hiroto groans. Somehow, even though the hostility seems to have dispersed, this isn't any less irritating. Though part of it could be due to the pounding in his head threatening to overcome him. Hiroto would like to avoid passing out a second time in front of Gran, though. 

“It was … some weird alley,” Hiroto begins only to have his mind flash not only to the alley he woke up in, but also to the image of the kid laying in the alley. Now that he thinks about it the two alleys looked the same, didn’t they. 

They couldn’t have been a coincidence. 

“Weird alley?” Gran probes, “You dazed off. What was in that alley.” 

Oh, did he do that? It was getting hard to focus on anything, but Hiroto shakes his head to try to get back some focus. Pain be damned explaining everything might just be the only way they can figure out what’s going on and maybe this dream can end. 

Or, if it really isn’t a dream, he can find his way back home. Whatever the case may be. 

“Some kid. He looked a lot like you, but younger. But he called himself…” he trails off once more. Gran doesn’t seem like he wants to coax the answer out of him, but eventually he speaks with caution.

“Called himself…”

Hiroto takes a deep breath before speaking again.

“Kira Hiroto.”

Gran’s eyes widen when he hears the answer. Hiroto can see he was… shaking? Honestly, he can feel himself shake a little too at the realization of what it could mean. Not that he didn’t realize it before when he first saw the gravestone, but everything was really just starting to sink in. 

“That’s not possible. If he’s dead then how could you have met him…But if you said you possibly gotten hit by a car then--” 

“Don’t even fucking say it.” Gran was so quiet that Hiroto could barely hear him. He didn’t need to hear him that clearly to see what he might be trying to say. “You must be daft if you think I found myself in some … some _afterlife_.” 

“It doesn’t explain why you’re _here_ , but it would explain how you were able to meet… him,” Gran says quietly. 

“Shut. _Up_ ! Do you think I _want_ to hear that I could be dead when I just learned that in this dream, or dimension, or _whatever_ it is that I’m dead?!” The hostility in Hiroto’s tone causes Gran to flinch back. 

“S-Sorry… You’re right…” 

Hiroto scoffs and turns his head away so he doesn’t have to see Gran’s pained expression. He finds himself staring at the purple rock in the middle of the room instead.

“... What’s with the rock,” he eventually asks. Ever since stepping into the room he wondered about it. Why did it look the same as the little crystal he has in his pocket and … what was it even doing here in the first place. 

“That’s … the Aliea Meteorite. Father found it and is using it to help fuel his mission,” Gran explains. Hiroto turns back to him and raises an eyebrow. 

“Mission?” Hiroto already didn’t like the sound of that.

“To make strong soccer players.” Gran simply states. Hiroto can tell that Gran was holding back information and it was already starting to tick him off.

“And then what? Take over the world dressed up as aliens? What kind of pathetic scheme is that, and why would he do it anyways.” 

“Revenge.

That word shuts Hiroto into silence. It only takes a second to realize what -- or rather who -- he wanted to get revenge for. 

He then remembers the destroyed schools on the screens in the room he first woke up. Suddenly he can feel himself shake. If there was only something he could punch or kick. It was one thing to hear that he was _dead_ in this dimension. It was another thing to be told that he _himself_ might be dead. The fact that his Father has been doing some revenge scheme here was just the cherry on the top. 

“ _Revenge_ ? And... “ he pauses. If Tatsuya -- or rather _Gran_ \-- was helping him accomplish this goal then who else…. “Don’t tell me the others from Sun Garden are also being used for this stupid revenge plot.”

Gran is silent. The silence was all Hiroto needed to know that he was right. 

Not able to let go of his frustrations any other way all he could do was laugh bitterly once more.

“This whole place is a fucking joke,” he mutters once he calms down from his laughter. “What made him think _revenge_ using soccer players was a good idea.” 

It was bad enough that Orion was using the sport to meet their own goals. Making soccer players cheat in order to accomplish what Orion wishes for them to do. To hear that his own _Father_ was doing something similar just to avenge his own son. 

It was sickening. 

“If only “I” hadn’t died, huh….”

Gran doesn’t respond. Instead he turns his head away as if not wanting Hiroto to see his expression. After a moment of silence Hiroto sighs. 

“Anything else you want to tell me.”

“You _asked_ ,” Gran retorts. He wasn’t wrong. Hiroto was the one that brought up the crystal that started this whole conversation. “But … it’s nothing that you would want to hear.” 

“So there is more.”

“Of course there is.” 

Hiroto would punch him right now if he could. Not just for the remarks, but for going along with his Father’s wishes in avenging “his” death. Picking a fight with someone not only knocked him out, but also knocked him to the ground after he woke up, was an idea even Hiroto realizes was too stupid to follow. 

His eyes follow back to the meteorite once more. 

“What the hell kind of power does this even have,” Hiroto asks. “If Father is using it for his plans it must have some sort of power.”

Not only that, but he can feel some sort of power emitting from the crystal in his pocket. 

“... Those exposed to the rock become much more powerful and have far more endurance,” Gran explains, “But … I don’t know the extent of its powers. Father has kept most of the research from us.” 

“So used to “enhance” players, huh…” 

If Hiroto could use The Explosion to destroy the rock itself he would. As much as he loves power the idea of using some stupid stone to do it… Well, that idea actually wasn’t so bad. 

It was more so the fact that his Father was using it on people he _knew_ for his own means. 

“Why the hell are _you_ doing this,” he couldn’t hold the question back any longer. 

“It was Father’s wish.” 

“And you’re fine with it even though he’s lost his damn mind?” Despite the pain he throws his arm out. “How are any of you okay with this!”

Gran’s expression darkens. 

“We can’t go against his wishes,” the tone in his voice also sends a shiver down Hiroto’s spine. “No matter what it means for us.”

“That’s bullshit,” Hiroto hisses. “Whatever he wishes doesn't matter when they’re not the wish of the person he’s getting revenge for.” 

Gran recoils, putting his hand on the strange thing in the middle of his outfit.

“Father… he’s changed. But once everything is over then maybe he’ll come back to normal.” It’s nothing more than a whisper, but Hiroto hears it well enough and scoffs. 

“I hope you and Father get your asses kicked as a lesson.” Hiroto ignores the look that Gran gives him. Instead he looks at where Gran has his hand. “... That isn’t just a decoration piece is it.” 

“It’s a Limiter.” Hiroto simply states once more.

“And what the hell is a _Limiter_. You’ve already explained enough bullshit, so what’s one more.” He was really getting tired of having to pull information out of Gran like this.

“... Some of us have trained beyond human limitations. This device artificially keeps us from going beyond those limits.” 

“I hope someone kicks yours and Father’s ass.” 

“You’ve already said that,” Gran sighs, “You’re a piece of work.”

“So are you. _Both_ you and the one I’m stuck with back where I’m supposed to be,” Hiroto retorts. Gran seems to space out upon hearing that response before he brings up a question of his own. 

“Everyone at Sun Garden. They’re alright in your timeline?” 

“Other than being a pain in my ass sometimes, yeah,” Hiroto replies. He rubs the back of his head and sighs, “Father let them become a Soccer team for the Football Frontier as long as I part. I didn’t give a damn at first, but someone very stubborn made me realize the importance of ‘teamwork’.” 

“Who?”

“Do you need to ask?” 

Gran silently gives an ‘oh’ at what Hiroto meant by that. Hiroto looks away to look at anything in the room that wasn’t Gran. When did the conversation turn to this? He shoves his hands into his pockets, only to pull one back out with the crystal in hand. The moment Gran sees that Hiroto pulls out of his pocket his eyes widen. 

“That’s… How did you get that?” Gran asks eyes narrowing at the crystal itself. 

“Oh, this? I got it from uh … other me,” that’s not something he’s ever going to get used to saying. “He tossed this at me before I passed out and woke up in this awful place.” 

“And you didn’t think to mention this _before_?” 

“I was _going_ to, but someone had to bring up the possibility that I was dead that I didn’t bother!” Hiroto snaps back. The tone was unintentional, but the possibility of him being dead was a very touchy topic still. A pang of guilt flashes on Gran’s face. 

“N-Nevermind that. I wonder if that’s the clue to get you back to where you were,” Gran replies. 

“Well I’m holding it right now and nothing is happening.”

Gran was starting to look like he was ready to give up. 

“Whatever power it may have had before might be gone now,” Gran explains, “Fragments from the Meteorite hold the same power as the Meteorite itself, but the effects don’t last long. If it still had its full power you wouldn’t have lost so quickly.” 

“I don’t need some fragment from that rock to kick your ass,” Hiroto scoffs. “There’s only one reason why I lost.” If it wasn’t for that and technically not belonging here he would not only fight Gran, but also find his Father and do the same. 

He has a feeling that if he did that, however, it wouldn’t end well. For one he doesn’t look like the Kira Hiroto that died here. That in itself would only cause problems and grief on both parties. Hiroto wasn’t about to put up with that. So all he can do is try to find a way back home and leave the situation to people who are able and boy, does he hope that becomes the case. 

“The fragment might be useless now, but I wonder what would happen if you got close to the meteorite itself,” Gran responds. He was clearly ignoring the remarks that Hiroto just made. Hiroto has a feeling it might be because he doesn’t want to say something wrong again. 

Even the lingering thought of him being dead makes him shake in anger just a little still. Best not bring it up or think about it until later … Hiroto shoves the fragment back into his pocket and looks at the rock itself. Well, it was worth a shot. The worst thing that can happen is that it doesn’t work and he’s stuck here, wherever here is. Well, if that becomes the case then speaking with Father might just be on the list. Might. 

“Fine. Let’s try this little theory of yours,” Hiroto decides. Gran nods his head and is about to turn to walk before pausing. Hiroto raises an eyebrow before realizing the hand that Gran stretches out for him to grab. He hesitates himself before he takes the offer. He still has little to more energy from before and the moment he stands his head starts to throb once more. 

“Can you walk?” Gran asks. Hiroto nods his head. Despite the pain he didn’t want to completely rely on Gran to get to the rock. That really just cramps his style. The help Gran has offered was enough already. Gran seems to understand and nods his head before he turns and walks to the stairs that leads to the rock. 

The closer they got to the rock the power it seems to have only felt all the stronger. By the time they were close enough that Hiroto could touch it the energy it emits was almost overbearing. With this much energy though, maybe Gran was right and this could, in fact, be the way back home. With that in mind Hiroto takes a deep breath before he reaches out to touch the rock itself. 

At first touching the rock didn’t seem to have any effect. Just before Hiroto can say his disappointment Gran speaks first. 

“Ah! You’re…” He seems to be caught off guard by something. Hiroto turns to him and raises an eyebrow. 

“I’m what?” He asks before looking back at the rock. That’s when he notices that his hand looks like it was fading. Immediately he pulls his hand away from the rock and his hand goes back to normal. It’s Gran’s turn to raise a questionable look.

“What are you doing? I think something was happening before you pulled away,” Gran comments. 

“Shut up. It just caught me off guard,” Hiroto mutters. “What the hell you think this rock was doing.” 

“Maybe you were fading out of this existence somehow. Kind of like a ghost?” Gran replies. Hiroto shivers at that thought, but if that is the case then he kind of needs to let it happen if he wants to go back home, huh. 

He groans. Why couldn’t he just black out like he did every time before instead of fading away. Who decides that the rules can suddenly change. He takes another deep breath before putting his hand on the rock again. 

All he has to do is not think about it. That’ll make the transition go more smoothly. 

“So, I guess this is it,” Hiroto says, deciding one more conversation with Gran is going to be a good enough distraction for me. “Well, I’d love to kick your ass myself, but I’ll have to leave it to someone else.” 

“We’ll see. Endou’s team is fighting against us right now,” Gran simply replies. Hiroto rolls his eyes. Of course he wouldn’t want to agree to something like that, but he’s glad to hear the Captain’s team in this timeline was doing something. If he’s as strong here as he was back home then maybe things will turn out okay. “But, it was good to meet you, I guess. Even if you’re not the Kira Hiroto from this timeline…” 

“Probably for the best,” Hiroto says, “As shitty as that sounds, I doubt it would make things any easier for anyone if the Kira Hiroto of this timeline showed up.”

Not only for his Father, who spent years in grief over his loss, Gran was also an issue. He was now named Hiroto because he looks so much like the Hiroto that passed on, doesn’t he. Hiroto can confirm that he met the actual Kira Hiroto. If the Hiroto of this timeline came back, what would happen then. Even though Gran doesn’t say anything, Hiroto can tell, somehow, that Gran was thinking the same thing.

“Tch. Well, I’d say it was good to meet you too, but I refuse to use your stupid alien name. But I refuse to call you Hiroto,” there’s only enough room for two Hiroto’s in his head and frankly even though he hopes to never see the other Kira Hiroto again he’s keeping his name, “So what am I calling you.”

“... Anything you want is fine,” Gran says quietly. Hiroto rolls his eyes at the answer. That’s an issue, but not one for him to deal with. 

“Give me something or else I’m giving you some shitty nickname.” Hiroto retorts. Despite what was an attempt at a threat Gran still stays quiet. Hiroto clicks his tongue. He doesn’t have all day for this as he continues to fade. “Tch. Kiyama or Tatsuya.

“Kiyama.”

“Kiyama it is then,” Hiroto was going to choose that one if Gran continued to keep quiet, but good that he chose not to. “Now if, for some reason, I find myself here again, or even if you found yourself in my timeline somehow I’m kicking your ass as payback for the shit you pulled here.”

“To be fair, you asked for all of it,” Gran replies with a near smile. Hiroto smirks in response. 

“Shut up. It doesn’t matter. Next time I see you I’m showing you the true power of the God Strik--”

The moment he fades again he feels his consciousness fall once more. 

\---

When Hiroto gains consciousness again he sees that he’s back in front of the gravestone. Just like in the images he saw earlier he can now see the name clearly on the stone. 

_[ KIRA HIROTO ]_

“Shit…” Not only did he not want to see that stone again and see that those images weren’t just his imagination, but he didn’t want to be _here_. Coming here instead of waking up back home only gives the unsettling feeling that maybe Gran -- no, Kiyama -- was right. 

Maybe he is dead after all. 

“So, how was it,” all the sudden the other Hiroto appears on the gravestone. Hiroto bites his tongue to keep himself from making a noise. Why did he have to just _appear_ like that? 

“What do you think,” Hiroto mutters. “I didn’t learn a damn single good thing while I was there. What kind of shitty nightmare was that?”

“Was it a nightmare?” the other Hiroto asks, “I don’t think you believe that was just a dream, do you.” 

Hiroto clicks his tongue. He really didn’t want to admit that Saginuma might have been right about the whole alternate timeline thing, but everything felt so _real_. It had to have been more than just a dream. 

“Why the hell did you send me there?” Hiroto asks, “No one wants to learn that themselves in a different timeline is actually dead and that their Father was taking revenge on the world using kids from an orphanage he opened.” 

“I’m sorry,” there is clearly guilt in the young redhead’s eyes. Hiroto feels bad for bringing up what his -- their -- Father was doing in that timeline. He knew that Hiroto from that timeline didn’t approve of it. It makes sense, as he sure as hell wouldn’t approve of that kind of revenge scheme. “It was the best thing I could do to stall time.” 

“What do you mean by that?” Hiroto raises an eyebrow. 

“I couldn’t let your consciousness stay here. The risk of you passing on was too high,” other Hiroto explains, “But you had a chance, unlike me, because you had someone there.”

“... Tatsuya,” Hiroto replies. The younger Hiroto nods. “But that doesn’t explain shit on how you were able to throw me into another timeline.” 

“I’m not sure how to really explain myself,” he admits, “I think it’s because your accident was so similar to mine that, at least temporarily, this part of the afterlife that links our timelines was created.”

“So I _am_ dead?” Hiroto can almost hear his own voice crack when he asks. 

“Well … I guess you can also say this is also kinda a link between the living world and the afterlife? So you’re not dead _yet_ just… very close. That’s why I sent you to my timeline so you were alive somewhere while your body attempts to recover in your timeline.”

“But then how the hell did I have a body there if you just tossed my consciousness into that timeline?” All of this was only making half sense. The only things he has right now is that he’s _almost_ dead and that somehow this version of him whisked him away to his timeline to keep him from actually dying? ... Maybe he kind of has an idea, but at the same time it doesn’t make any sense. 

“The fragment from the meteorite. It served as a waypoint between here and my timeline and was able to create you a body to use. At least, I think that’s how it works.” 

“What kind of shitty explanation is that? Do you know what would’ve happened if I had stayed there?” 

“I don’t know. Almost all of how this happened is kinda confusing,” the other Hiroto sighs. Hiroto folds his arms and sighs himself. Well, he’s pretty young. Guess this weird spiritual thing would be confusing. 

Also hard to believe. There’s no way Hiroto can describe these events to anyone without sounding completely insane. 

“W-Well, on the bright side it worked. I think you’re about free to wake up in your own timeline, now,” the other Hiroto says with a small smile. That has to be the best thing Hiroto has heard this whole trainwreck of an experience. “It was nice meeting you, other me. I couldn’t continue my life, so I’m glad I could help you continue yours.” 

Hiroto is silent for a minute when he hears that. It really is shitty, knowing that this Kira Hiroto can never live his dreams and can only sit here while his Father makes bad choices. There’s really only one thing Hiroto can do, isn’t there. 

“Hey, you’re a fan of Soccer, aren’t you?” Hiroto asks. The younger Hiroto bobs his head cheerfully. 

“I love it! Becoming a really good soccer player was my dream!” For this kid to be so cheerful talking about soccer… he’s not lying. Hiroto can’t help but smile himself. 

“Well, for making sure I didn’t die I’ll make sure to live the dream for both of us. Just don’t come trying to haunt me or some shit like that.” This is one thing because they’re technically both ghosts. Hiroto however doesn’t want to see any actual ghosts in the living world, no thanks. 

“Really? Thank you! Become the best soccer player they ever see, God Striker!” the younger one chirps. Hiroto blinks before bursting into a laugh. 

“Damn right I will!” 

The younger Hiroto laughs a little himself before he looks beyond Hiroto into the distance. 

“Oh. I think it really is time for you to go though. Hurry since we don’t wanna risk that path being closed! Say hi to Father for me, if and when you can.”

“... Sure, just for you,” Hiroto replies. 

“And Tatsuya is that person that looks like me right? It’s thanks to him that you had a chance of survival, so be sure to say thank you! And … say hi to him as well.”

“Alright alright, I got it. You’re sure asking for a lot,” Hiroto sighs. The younger one can only laugh again, seeing that the older one can’t keep a small smile away. 

He’s pretty sure that the redhead said thank you, but once again he fades back into unconsciousness before he can reply. 

\---

Hiroto starts to stir awake to the sound of a machine beeping and a small buzzing. This happens a few times as he filters in and out of consciousness, each time both sounds getting louder. Eventually he notices that the sound of the buzzing wasn’t a bug or some other electronic, but the sound of someone speaking. The voice gets clearer but it was still fuzzy so he can’t quite tell who it was. Was it the Doctor? Coach? Tatsuya? 

“HI-RO-TO. WAKE THE FUCK UP ALREADY.” 

“ _Haizaki!_ Calm down before you get us kicked out!” 

It was none of the above. Hiroto groans, almost not wanting to wake up to the noise. If he was the one he was waking up to then he wants to go back to sleep. 

“You heard that? Hiroto! Can you hear us? Wake up!” Haizaki’s voice comes again. Thankfully it wasn’t as loud as the last time he spoke. With another groan Hiroto slowly starts to open his eyes. At first the white light was too blinding to get a good look at anything else in the room. When his eyes start to adjust he can start to see the two figures standing besides his bed. Looks like the other one who was in the room was Asuto. 

“He’s awake! I’ll go get the doctor!” He hears Asuto exclaim before one of the two figures disappear from view. He can vaguely see the other figure watch the other one leave before turning its attention back to him. 

“Hey, Hiroto! Can you hear me? Hiroto!” Haizaki continues to ask. Once Haizaki comes into clear view Hiroto tilts his head slightly to look at the other striker. 

“Can you be any fucking _louder_?” Hiroto retorts. It was almost embarrassing to speak with such a hoarse and quiet voice. Haizaki doesn’t seem to notice -- or care -- and sits down on the chair behind him with a sigh of relief. 

“About fucking _time_. Do you have any idea how worried you had people? What kind of god gets hit by a car--”

“Shut up,” that was probably more harsh than he intends, even with his voice being how it is, but he really didn’t want to hear any of it. Especially not after all the things he saw while he was out. Was it all really a dream in the end? Or was what Kira Hiroto from the other timeline said true. His head feels fuzzy still so it was hard to concentrate on much of anything. The only reason why he can concentrate on Haizaki well enough is because it’s hard to ignore a voice as loud as his. He’s not sure if the headache was from the injuries or from Haizaki. 

“Tch, didn’t you wake up shittier than usual,” Haizaki mutters, “Well, Asuto is getting the doctor then probably going to tell everyone you’re awake if he hasn’t already.” It wouldn’t be surprising for Asuto to text everyone that he is while he searched for the doctor. “Just tell me if you don’t want any visitors and I’ll tell them to fuck off.” 

The only image that comes to mind when Haizaki says that is him standing in front of the door looking like a thug. He’s pretty sure if he did that the Doctors would kick him out. It was a funny thought though Hiroto is too tired to laugh about it. Instead he just rolls his eyes with a small scoff. 

“Yeah, I’m sure you would. Idiot.” 

It’s Haizaki’s turn to roll his eyes with a scoff, though it was clear he isn’t amused by the reply. Hiroto then closes his eyes for a minute as he seriously considers what Haizaki said. Is he ready to see people right now? He’s extremely tired and his body seems to ache all over. 

Maybe he isn't ready to see everyone. There is one person… how to bring him up though? 

“So why the hell are you and Asuto here?” Hiroto asks. 

“Just happened to work out that way. A few of us have been taking shifts hanging out here waiting for you to wake up when we can,” Haizaki responses as he folds his arms. “I already told you that you worried the fuck out of everyone. Almost everyone has been here a few times.” 

“... And Tatsuya?” He can see Haizaki bite his lip at the mention of the redhead. Hiroto frowns at the reaction. 

“He was here a few times when it first happened and once you got out of surgery,” Haizaki sighs after a minute. “But eventually he stopped coming and asked others to go for him.” 

Hiroto can only guess why he did that. He rolls his eyes before he makes an attempt to sit up only to feel Haizaki pushing his shoulders lightly -- to Hiroto’s surprise -- down. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Haizaki hisses, “At least wait until the damn doctor comes before you think about moving, idiot.” 

“I don’t have time to lay here,” Hiroto retorts, despite knowing that this is a losing battle. Even that small attempt only made him more tired than he already is. 

“Bullshit. You _just_ woke up from a small coma,” Hiroto's eyes become a little wider when he hears that response. Just how long was he out? “Your injuries are still pretty steep, so don’t go making more mistakes!” 

“... Fine. But do me a favour,” Hiroto sighs. He hates it when Haizaki has the upper hand. “Go find Tatsuya for me while the doctor is here and tell him to get his ass here. Otherwise I’m getting out and finding him myself.” 

“Tch. Fine,” Haizaki clicks his tongue. As he replies the doctor comes in and he stands to leave. “I’ll go find your little Captain and drag his ass in here so your stupid stubborn ass doesn’t go anywhere.” Hiroto just grins as thanks while Haizaki rolls his eyes and makes his way out of the room. 

The doctor then takes Haizaki’s place as he starts examining Hiroto. He helps Hiroto up into a sitting position -- which hurts like hell. Guess it was a good thing Haizaki stopped him from doing it earlier -- and checks to make sure his vitals was fine. While the doctor did his thing Hiroto finally takes a look around the room. There were various flowers and “get well” cards everywhere in the room. Glancing at one of the bouquets he can see it was from the Eisei team. Did they really send flowers all the way from home to here? He finds himself smiling at the thought, even if he’d never admit to any of them. 

… Was there anything from his Father? He couldn’t tell. 

After everything seems okay with those the doctor moves on to the injuries himself. That’s when Hiroto realizes that he really was lucky to have been alive. 

_That other Hiroto was right. Damn it._

Head concussion, broken arm, a few broken ribs, plus numerous other injuries around. They hadn’t expected him to wake up as soon as he did. Hiroto can only wonder if there was a reason why he woke up earlier than expected. Not that he’s not thankful for that. The doctor finishes up with his exam and says everything seems fine and he’s recovering well but to be careful not to strain himself.

He won’t, as long as Tatsuya actually shows his face in this room.

The doctor leaves and Hiroto finds himself alone in the room. He sighs and carefully moves his free arm to the remote to try turning on the TV. He should’ve asked the doctor to turn it on before he left--

He stops halfway as he realizes that his hand was holding something. When he opens his hand there lies the purple fragment from before. His mind flashes back to the events he went through while he was comatose in this life before gripping the crystal as tightly as his strength would allow him. 

All of that. Did it truly happen? Was Saginuma truly correct when it came to other timelines? If the fragment he was holding wasn’t proof enough… 

His thoughts get distracted by a small knock on the door.

“Who is it,” Hiroto asks. The water he was given by the doctor helped, but his voice was still more hoarse and quiet then he’d like. There’s no response from the other side and Hiroto is about to ask again before they finally answer. 

“It’s Tatsuya... May I come in?”

“... Yeah.” 

A sassy comment didn’t seem like the proper response this time around so Hiroto keeps himself from doing so. 

Tatsuya opens the door and slides in, gently closing it behind him. Without a word he sits down in the chair besides Hiroto. Hiroto is glad that Haizaki was able to get Tatsuya to come here, but the atmosphere in the room is suddenly incredibly awkward. Hiroto hates it, but allows the silence to sit there before Tatsuya finally decides to speak. 

“I’m sorry--”

“Don’t even start with the ‘sorry’ bullshit,” Hiroto cuts him off, making him flinch. Ah, maybe he shouldn’t have said it that forcefully. He sighs before he continues. “It’s not your fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“But--”

“No _buts,_ Tatsuya. Besides, it doesn’t matter whose fault it was,” Hiroto replies. Besides, it would truly be the car’s fault for speeding around the corner, but Hiroto isn’t going to bring that up. There was something more important than that. “If you weren’t there when it happened and called for help I wouldn’t be here right now.” 

Tatsuya didn’t respond. Hiroto hopes that it’s because he was right. The street was mostly deserted there was little chance of someone else seeing and calling if it wasn’t for Tatsuya. Especially since he was told by the doctor that it was a hit and run. The driver didn’t stop at all though they found them later. 

Silence fills the room once more. Hiroto wishes that he turned on the TV before Tatsuya arrived. Eventually he sighs and closes his eyes. Even though he hasn’t been awake for so long he felt like sleeping another week. 

“What’s that in your hand?” 

Hiroto opens his eyes again to realize that his hand has opened enough to reveal the fragment that was in his hand. 

“Ah… this…” 

“Is it a gift from someone? I don’t remember anyone saying that we're going to get you a crystal…” Tatsuya mutters. Hiroto sighs. 

“It’s nothing like that,” though at the same time it was, wasn’t it. It was a gift from someone… technically. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you anyways.” 

“Try me.” 

Oh, right. The whole group of Sun Garden believes in things like alternate timelines. As long as anyone doesn’t bring up Kappas or other creatures of myth (funny, since people can and do consider them as aliens). 

“Let’s just say I met another version of you and I,” Hiroto mutters. Tatsuya raises an eyebrow. 

“Oh?” 

“It’s… not a happy ending. Well, it wasn't for me. You have a chance to get one as long as Endou and his team there can kick your ass.” Hiroto explains vaguely. Tatsuya frowns at the information. 

“What do you mean?” Tatsuya is getting on Hiroto’s nerves with all the questions he’s asking. Hiroto can’t blame him though. It’s not something that can just be left unexplained like that. 

“I’m… not alive in that timeline,” Hiroto closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to see Tatsuya’s pained expression. He knows it’ll only get worse as he continues to explain. “I was hit by some hit and run driver and left for dead. Father… Father didn’t take my death well. Sun Garden was opened after his death to try to help him move on but then he found this stupid meteorite and went off on some revenge plan using you and all the other Sun Garden kids to help them along.” 

“O.. Oh…” Hiroto isn’t surprised to see that Tatsuya was speechless. He sighs before he continues. 

“Kira Hiroto from that timeline… he looked a lot like you.” 

“You met him? How?” 

“Met him in some weird plane between the living and the afterlife. According to him anyways. He gave me this fragment of the meteorite that sent me to the other timeline where I met the other you. He called himself Gran because that was his “alien form” because apparently part of my Father’s ridiculous plan was to pretend they were aliens coming to take over from another planet.” He opens his eyes to see the bewildered expression on Tatsuya’s face. He almost smirks at the expression alone before he decides to look up at the ceiling. “Though he was actually called Kiyama _Hiroto_. Father renamed him after me after I died because he looked so much like the version of myself in that timeline. Pretty shitty, isn’t it? Fucking ironic too.” 

“Hiroto…” 

“Nevermind that,” Hiroto decides to ignore the tone of Tatsuya’s response. “Anyways after meeting that version of you and hearing about how shitty my Father was in that timeline I found myself back in that weird plane between life and death where I met the dead version of me again.”

“He didn’t look like a ghost, did he?” 

“Shut the fuck up.” Who does Tatsuya think he is trying to pick at him right now? Though he was grateful Tatsuya could attempt to try to lift the mood, even just a little, despite all of this. He’s also glad that his response got a little laugh out of Tatsuya even if during normal circumstances he would hate it. Hiroto sighs quietly. “I .. told him that I would live our dream for the both of us.” 

“That sounds very like you, Hiroto,” Tatsuya replies with a smile. Hiroto glances over before looking away in embarrassment. 

“No one asked you.” Hiroto mutters. Tatsuya laughs lightly at the remark. 

“I’m sure you can do it, Hiroto. You’ve already helped make other peoples’ dreams a reality,” Tatsuya replies. Hiroto really wishes he can shut him up now. “Thank you… for telling me this. Even if it hurts to hear what’s happened in the other timeline. If they have a chance then let’s hope it comes to them.”

“I would’ve kicked his ass myself if I could,” Hiroto mutters.

“I don’t think that would’ve ended well,” Tatsuya replies. Hiroto knows he's not talking strength-wise, but he still gives him a look that Tatsuya ignores. “... Are you going to tell Saginuma or any of the other Sun Garden kids this?” 

“Fuck no. I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Saginuma. Besides… I don’t think all of them would like to know what’s happened in that timeline.” Even though Tatsuya thanked him for it Hiroto wouldn’t have said anything if Tatsuya didn’t pry in the first place. Damn fragment.

“Then I won’t say anything. I’ll even say I was the one that gave you that little crystal,” Tatsuya says as he points at the crystal. Hiroto sighs. 

“Works for me…” He’s so tired at this point he is surprised that he didn’t doze off while he was explaining everything. Tatsuya seems to notice, though, and stands up out of the chair. 

“You should get some rest. You’re not going to be able to shoot for any dreams if you don’t.” The moment Tatsuya says that Hiroto can feel his eyelids start to close. 

“Mm… Yeah, whatever,” Hiroto mumbles before he dozes off to sleep. He could feel Tatsuya carefully taking the crystal to put it next to one of the bouquets. As he fades into a slumber he can barely hear Tatsuya’s voice once more.

“Ah.. These flowers. I guess it’s true, then… but how..?” 

Even though he can't be sure how Tatsuya sets it down in front of the bouquet. There was a small picture of a redhead boy with metal and beneath was a small note. 

_Get Well Soon. May our dreams come true!_

_\- Kira Hiroto -_


End file.
